Q&A: Fresh Covid cases leave sport's resumption on a knife edge - what next?

Why have Hull FC and Salford gone into lockdown?

Five Hull players who featured in last Sunday’s defeat to Salford at Headingley – plus another first-team player and two coaches – have since tested positive for Covid-19. All tests carried out on Salford’s players and staff returned negative results, although they have taken the decision for the entire matchday squad to self-isolate until the results of further tests are known.

What does this mean for the Super League?

It is another huge blow for the competition following the recent withdrawal of Toronto Wolfpack due to a financial crisis. Predictably, Hull’s meeting with Castleford and Salford’s game with Catalans this weekend have been called off and a rejigged fixture list will see two games on Saturday and two on Sunday.

Was there a breach of protocol?

It is unclear if any social distancing rules were broken but Hull owner Adam Pearson believes a player’s visit to hospital with an unwell baby was the likely cause of the outbreak. Pearson said that the player attended the club the next day, Saturday, for some physio treatment and was sent home having displayed some symptoms.

In women's football, five Atletico Madrid players have tested positive. What happens to them?

The five players are asymptomatic and isolated in their homes, Atletico said in a statement. They are in communication with the club’s medical services and will be tested again in the coming days, ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona on Aug 21.

What happens if a Champions League side cannot field a team?

A club needs at least 13 available players from its named squad, including at least one goalkeeper, for the match to go ahead. In certain circumstances, Uefa may allow a rescheduling of the match, or let the club field different players - but if not, the match will be declared a 3-0 win to their opponents.

What does this all mean for rugby union and the Premier League?

The highest level of men's football has equipped itself well so far but rugby union now returns under intense pressure, with signs of a second-wave in Europe, regional lockdowns in the north-west and the suspension of crowd pilots at grounds. The Gallagher Premiership must learn from rugby league's early problems. Testing will be key, with teams told they will suffer an automatic 20-0 defeat if they are unable to field a team because of an outbreak of Covid-19 among their squad.

Why has the Premier League escaped serious disruption so far?

Premier League has been testing players twice a week - compared with once in Super League - which has allowed cases to be isolated earlier. Their "bubbles" are also likely to be more secure due to the sheer level of resource available to the teams. The league invested £4million to acquire coronavirus testing kits from Hong Kong-based biotechnology company Prenetics and results have generally been well below five for the entire league throughout.

Why have Premier League teams not been quarantining entirely when a player tests positive?

All team sports follow the same stage five Government guidance which does not rule out teams continuing as planned if outbreaks take place in their squads. Rugby league took matters into its own hands by deciding to quarantine teams entirely.